Home / Quotes / Quote by Carl von Clausewitz

Quote by Carl von Clausewitz

“A general who allows himself to be decisively defeated in an extended mountain position deserves to be court-martialled.”

Quote by Carl von Clausewitz

Work

This seminal work delves into the principles of warfare, offering insights on the nature of conflict and the conduct of military campaigns. more

Author

Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz, born on July 1, 1780, and died on November 16, 1831, was a Prussian military theorist and historian. He is considered one of the founders of modern military theory. Clausewitz's most famous work, 'On War,' has had a profound impact on military strategy and warfare theory to this day. more

You May Also Like

“A prince or general can best demonstrate his genius by managing a campaign exactly to suit his objectives and his resources, doing neither too much nor too little.”

Littles Too Much Genius Resources Campaigns Objectives Suits

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Architects and painters know precisely what they are about as long as they deal with material phenomena.... But when they come to the aesthetics of their work, when they aim at a particular effect on the mind or on the senses, the rules dissolve into nothing but vague ideas.”

Knows Mind Long Ideas Deals Effects Particular Materials Aim Senses Painter Architect Vague Aesthetics Vague Ideas

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.”

Circles Defined Formulas

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Boldness will be at a disadvantage only in an encounter with deliberate caution, which may be considered bold in its own right, and is certainly just as powerful and effective; but such cases are rare.”

May Powerful Cases Encounters Caution Deliberate Boldness Disadvantages

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Four elements make up the climate of war: danger, exertion, uncertainty and chance.”

War Chance Four Danger Elements Climate Uncertainty Exertion Four Elements

Book:On War

Source: On War

“In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards.”

Humans War Whole Games Activity Cards Range Human Activity

Author:Carl von Clausewitz

“Intelligence alone is not courage, we often see that the most intelligent people are irresolute. Since in the rush of events a man is governed by feelings rather than by thought, the intellect needs to arouse the quality of courage, which then supports and sustains it in action.”

People Men Needs Feelings Action Quality Support Events Intelligent Intellect

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Knowledge in war is very simple, being concerned with so few subjects, and only with their final results at that. But this does not make its application easy.”

Doe War Easy Simple Results Subjects Concerned Finals Application

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Obstinacy is a fault of temperament. Stubbornness and intolerance of contradiction result from a special kind of egotism, which elevates above everything else the pleasure of its autonomous intellect, to which others must bow.”

Kind Pleasure Results Special Faults Intellect Contradiction Bows Intolerance Temperament Egotism Stubbornness Autonomous Obstinacy

Book:On War

Source: On War

“Of all the passions that inspire a man in a battle, none, we have to admit, is so powerful and so constant as the longing for honor and reknown.”

Men Passion Powerful Inspire Honor Battle Longing Constant

Author:Carl von Clausewitz